Late Glacial and Holocene micromammals of northeastern Europe

• Main Authors: Ponomarev, Dmitry V., Kolfschoten, Thijs van, Plicht, Johannes van der
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: northeastern Europe; Late Glacial; Holocene; Pleistocene; small mammals; Tundra
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11370/aa52ed98-4edb-419c-a324-079aaaac368b; https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/aa52ed98-4edb-419c-a324-079aaaac368b; https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/14416191/2012RussJTheriolPonomarev.pdf

Results of studying micromammalian remains from 15 cave-type localities situated in northeastern Europe are presented. Radiocarbon dating enabled to study the fauna development during six climatic phases: Bølling-Allerød, Younger Dryas, Preboreal, Boreal, Subboreal and Subatlantic. Assemblages of Bølling-Allerød with predominance of Siberian lemming are followed by communities of the Younger Dryas. These are dominated by xerophilous species: narrow-headed vole in the Subpolar Urals, and collared lemming in the rest of region. A considerable proportion of tundra species remained in communities during the Preboreal. A drastic transformation of micromammalian communities from the tundra-steppe to forest has occurred after 9000 BP, and possibly before 8500 BP. The modern-like fauna was formed during the Subatlantic.